


Escape Extras- Scenes from the cutting room floor

by captainofherheart



Category: Chris Evans - Fandom
Genre: Chris Evans x ofc, F/M, chris evans romance, chris evans rpf
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-03-07
Updated: 2019-02-25
Packaged: 2019-03-28 03:38:53
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 11
Words: 12,369
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13895436
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/captainofherheart/pseuds/captainofherheart
Summary: This will be a collection of scenes that never made it into "Escape with Chris Evans," for one reason or another.  A lot of times I come up with a scene weeks, or even months, ahead of time and when I finally get to write that part of the story it just no longer fits or works with what is going on.  I'll post them here as often as possible, there have been many over the past 28 chapters.  Thank you to @jmart79 for sparking this idea for me!I also want to take a moment to thank my readers.  Your support means everything to me, and I truly appreciate you.  Many have been with me from the beginning when I wrote my first words ever, and have been ever so patient as life threw me curveball after curveball last year and slowed down my pace.  I'm doing everything I can to make sure I complete the story and deliver something you'll enjoy.  Thank you again, your comments can make a world of difference for me and for every writer out there.





	1. Chapter 1

next chapter will begin the scenes


	2. 1.  Goofballs and Veggies

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this would have taken place during chapter 34, after the interlude in Chris's childhood bedroom and they've returned to the tables outside

The high of the sexy escape in Chris’s bedroom, coupled with a couple of beers, had turned you both into a pair of silly goofballs.  While you’d been playing ‘hide the salami’ up in Chris’s room, someone had placed a veggie platter and dip on the table. 

Chris started it. He was munching on a baby carrot and went to eat another one when he caught you looking at him. Okay, maybe more like mooning over him, the effects of the strong orgasm, of being wicked and naughty, and the alcohol giving you beer goggles that made you realize just how fuckin’ sexy your man was,  had made you feel a little high, to be honest. Chris took the carrot and placed it across the top of his upper lip like a moustache and made a funny, devious face before snapping it into his mouth. 

While you giggled your ass off at him he began to set up the next joke. You watched with interest as he placed large, hollowed out olives on the end of a couple of pieces of celery, then held them up just above his head and said, in his best alien voice, “Take me to your leader.”

You took five olives and placed them in the tips of your fingers, the thumb was a little tough but you were determined, and wiggled them at him. Using your own best robot voice you replied, “No need, there is no intelligent life here, beam us up Scotty!”

Suddenly, you heard a voice behind your head that said, “You rang?”  You nearly jumped out of your seat from fright and it was exactly the reaction Scott had been aiming for, the thumb topper that had been precariously perched flipping onto the table. You kicked at Chris’s shin when he high fived his brother.  

Eventually you brushed it off and proceeded to eat the olives, one at a time, off your fingers, downing them with some more beer. 


	3. You know what they say about horns

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This scene takes place in chapter 32, when Chris and Nicole are in his basement prior to leaving for his mother's house

You spotted a real guitar in a stand alongside the ones used for the Rock Band game and made a mental note to ask him to play for you sometime.  Your eyes were scanning some items on a bookcase and some shelves nearby when you noticed a trumpet. 

“Is that a souvenir from ‘Before We Go’?” you asked, your eyes lighting up. It wasn’t the greatest movie ever made, but it was a solid movie for his directorial debut.  Also, he was at his most natural Chris-like adorable and fluffy self. There was no Cap in that role, just your sweetheart with a beard. 

Chris had walked over to the shelf and was pulling it down. “Actually, it is. Still trying to figure out how to play this thing,” he added with a self-deprecating laugh as he looked it over. 

“If I remember correctly from interviews, you said all your fingering is accurate.” you said, with just enough insinuation that he looked up sharply, catching you giving him a sly smile as you quirked up your brow. 

Giving you a sexy, smug smile, he confirmed,  “My fingering is always accurate...as you well know.”  You nodded slowly and replied, “Damn straight I do.” 

He let the arm holding the horn fall to his side and sauntered over to you.  When he was standing about a foot away he asked in a low, deep voice, “And you know what they say about men who play horns, don’t you?”

You lowered your eyes, looking at the horn, then slowly letting your gaze move up his body until they reached his lips.  Tilting your head, you side eyed him and played coy. “Ummm, that they have an instrument I’d like to blow?”

Chris wasn’t expecting the joke and he let out a loud laugh, bowing his head as his shoulders shook.  One of the many things you loved about Chris was how easy he was to make laugh, it was as if there was a spring of it constantly bubbling just beneath the surface.   

You broke the game and said,“For real, though, I have no idea what they say about men who play horns.”

Composure regained, Chris cleared his throat and said in a scholarly voice, “Well, then, allow me to enlighten you.”  As you rolled your eyes and groaned comically, he giggled, then proceeded to explain with a normal voice.

“Part of what makes it so difficult to learn is the way you need to use your mouth.  You see, it’s like you have to practically  _ make love _ to the mouthpiece.”  He paused, and looked at you to make sure you were following along. 

“You’ve got my attention, go on, Professor.”  

“Alright, so, you have to keep your lips soft and somehow vibrating, yet firm and to the surface, all at the same time.”

Those words, combined with the view you currently had of said lips, brought an image to your mind.  At that moment you could all but feel them, vibrating and sucking firmly, against a set of your own lips - and they weren’t the ones on your face.  

Chris must have read your face because when your eyes glanced up at his you saw he was watching you, a glint in them that amped up your desire.  You stood there, just eyeing each other, both apparently feeling the electricity that was building in the air between you. 

That was when you remembered what he’d said about having a sexy surprise in store for later.  Your instinct was to kiss him, but you decided instead to back away. Better to keep the flirting going, the desire building, the longing for each other and excitement for that moment rising.  The payoff would be worth it. 

  
  



	4. She Loves Me, She Loves Me Not

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Chris's pov during the chapter, Bed of Roses

It was just before 3pm when Chris arrived at the Chatwal Hotel and was given the key to the room he would be sharing with Nicole for the weekend.  He declined help bringing his rolling luggage and backpack upstairs, he traveled with them so often that they sometimes felt like extensions of his arm.  

Soon after settling in, he sent Nic a text message to provide her with the room number and to let her know how well his meeting had gone.  Keeping the news of his upcoming Broadway debut from her right now was killing him, but he knew that if he could surprise her with it in front of the theater tonight the reaction would be priceless.  He could hold out just a little bit more.

A knock on the door woke him out of his thoughts and he sent her one last quick message to let her know he couldn’t wait to see her.   The concierge was waiting, arms loaded with the three dozen red roses Chris had ordered for delivery. He let the older gentlemen enter and motioned for the roses to be placed on the bed, then thanked and tipped him generously.

Chris went to the luggage he had placed in the closet and opened the front zipper.  Thanks to his sister Carly, he had the foresight to pack a black trash bag for the stems and a smaller white one for the petals.  The one thing he had forgotten was a pair of scissors to cut off the plastic that enveloped the flowers, but he knew he had a small pair of beard trimmers from his shaving kit that would probably do the trick. 

With the bags opened up and positioned on the bed, Chris found ESPN on the television and got himself comfortable to begin removing the petals from each stem.  There was a learning curve, and he was swearing up a storm as he accidentally pricked his fingers time and time again with the fucking thorns. 

The work was becoming monotonous when he was halfway through the second batch, and he kept his mind occupied by playing a few rounds of “She loves me, she loves me not.”  Every time he ended on the wrong answer he would brush it off as having miscounted a petal and would quickly move onto the next stem to fix the situation. 

Chris took a break to stretch his back between the second and third bundle of roses.  He laid back in bed, his right leg dangling off the side, and called his mom to help settle the anxiety that had begun to creep into his mind. 

After catching her up on his news for his new play, Lobby Hero, he filled her in the progress for the roses.  His nerves began to get the best of him again. 

Pinching his brow with his fingers, he asked, “What if it’s too much?  Too over the top for her taste?”

His mother, Lisa, spoke softly, yet firmly, as she answered, “You’re a hopeless romantic, she knows that about you. She hasn’t run away yet, has she?”

“No,” he conceded, but it still didn’t clear his worries.  “Do you think it’s too soon? Or too late? I probably should’ve just said it while she was in Boston. I came close so many times, but I was too chickenshit and kept missing the moment.  Maybe I missed the window?”

“Would you knock it off?  Get out of your head, Chris, before you really do ruin everything.  It’s the perfect time and you know it. You guys don’t have the luxury of a traditional relationship. You’ve been together for what, two months?  If you’ve gotten to spend even two weeks out of that time together I’d be surprised. It wouldn’t work for everyone, but it works for you and Nicole.  She’s as willing to make it work as you are. It’s the real thing.”

“It _ is _ real. For me, at least.

“For her, too, believe me. I saw it just watching the way she looked at you when you were at the house.  You hang the moon for that girl. That’s not to say it’s going to be easy. I could also tell she’s not going to be one of those girls that changes for you, or let’s you get away with your selfish bullshit.”

“Selfish bullshit! What bullshit?”

“You know what I mean, don’t play dumb. She’s going to challenge you. I like that. I like her!”  Lisa paused and, with dramatic flare, added, “Even if she did agree to have sex in my house the first time she came over.”

Chris sat on the bed for a moment and couldn’t find the words to respond with, completely flabbergasted. 

Recognizing what the silence meant, Lisa teased, “Thought I wouldn’t find out about that?”

“We didn’t-” Chris stammered, but he should have known better.

“Christopher?  Really?”

He knew it was pointless to attempt further denials.  He let out a sigh that ended in laughter and asked. “How did you find out?”

“Your brother told on you.”

“That loud mouthed prick!

  
Now Lisa was the one laughing as Chris began spilling “secrets” of his brother Scott, none of which were actually a surprise. 

“Don’t hold it against her, Ma, okay? It wasn’t her idea, I promise. She tried to talk me out of it.”

“You know, hearing that you seduced her into it doesn’t make me feel any better.”

He grimaced as he realized how cringeworthy the explanation must have sounded, then summed it up as, “It won’t happen again.”

“Christopher,” she said, with a questioning lilt to her voice. 

He chuckled, realizing his mother always did know him as well as he knew himself.  There was never going to be a way to get one over on her, and she was right. Given the chance, it would definitely happen again.

“To be young and in love again,” she said, before changing the subject.  “When does she get there?”

“In a couple of hours.”

“I’ll leave you to it, then.  I know it’ll take a while to set up.  Good luck. Send me a message later, let me know how it went.”

“Will do.  Love you, Ma.”

“Love you more.”

With a final push, Chris finished with the last of the flowers he’d been working on while speaking to Lisa on speakerphone.  He called the front desk and was advised to place the black trash bag outside the door for pickup, and then began placing the red petals on the bed.  He was methodical, plotting out the position and size for each letter before placing the petals onto the bed. 

When he was satisfied with the job, he stood up, surveying his work to make sure it was perfect. Realizing he was covered in sweat, he stripped off his clothes and jumped into the shower to get ready for Nicole’s arrival.  Thoughts of her and showers they’d had together, the love they would make this weekend, made him even more eager to see her. He couldn’t wait to get his hands on her, but more importantly, he couldn’t wait to hear her say she felt the same way about him. 

 


	5. All Of Me

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This scene is an alternate for Chapter 24 (Hooked on a Feeling) My original idea for Nicole's dream was for it to be more serious and romantic, then the muse took over with a few things and it turned into the silly, wacky, what the hell did she eat before dinner, type dream.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Inspo: All of Me by John Legend

**_From original chapter:_ **

**_Back inside, you found yourself plunged into darkness at the edge of the dance floor. The wood beamed ceiling lit up with Christmas lights that twinkled like stars.  A white spotlight illuminated you, before another one lit up Chris who was across the room. He was wearing a black tuxedo, complete with coattails, and was sitting at a white baby grand piano._ **

 

**Alternate scene:**

 

The room was suddenly plunged into darkness. The few seconds later, a white spotlight illuminated you, before another lit up Chris, who was across the room.  He was wearing a black tuxedo, complete with coattails, and was sitting at a white baby grand piano. 

Chris began to play a familiar melody on the piano.  It was a romantic ballad that you'd loved from the moment you'd heard it; a song that now made your heart leap from hearing it being sung by Chris to you.  He launched into the opening lyrics of the John Legend song, “All Of Me.” 

“ _ What would I do without your smart mouth?  Drawing me in, and you kicking me out. You got my head spinning, no kidding, I can’t pin you down _ .”

You glided gracefully towards him, just a few steps at a time to the rhythm of the song. Your eyes were transfixed by Chris, your heart pounding and melting at the same time.  You reached the edge of the piano as the chorus began. Your brothers suddenly appeared and together they lifted you onto the piano, perching you on the edge, before disappearing as quickly as they had arrived.  

Your gown was fitted, and had a train that flared out.  You leaned across the top of the piano, stretching out your body, allowing the train the fall along the side.  From this position, you were able to get eye to eye with your new husband as he continued to serenade you. 

Chris reached up and gently stroked your face as he sang, “ _ My head’s underwater, but I’m breathing fine.  You’re crazy and I’m out of my mind. _ ”  He leaned forward and kissed you, then stood up and took your hand you help guide you back to a sitting position.  You didn’t know how, but the music continued to play, even without him there. 

He guided you off the piano to stand before him, running his hands along your body as he held you close, nuzzling you with his nose as he sang, “‘ _ Cause all of me, loves all of you.  Love your curves and all your edges, all your perfect imperfections.  Give your all to me, I’ll give my all to you. You’re my end and my beginning.  Even when I lose I’m winning. ‘Cause I give you all of me. And you give me all of you. _ ”

The next thing you knew, you were being swept up in his arms and twirled, waltz style, across the room and through a doorway.  When you came to a stop, you were both standing in a bedroom, beside a beautiful old fashioned four poster bed. Chris held your face and brought his lips to meet yours, tender at first, then more passionately.  His hands slid down and around to your back, finding the zipper to your gown and bringing it down, slowly. When it was at the bottom, you stepped back from him and pushed down the straps, letting the gown fall. 

The next second, the gown was gone from sight and you were standing before your love in a white corset, white garterbelt and stockings and white stilettos.  Your breath was coming in fast as you watched his eyes devouring you. It was making your bosom rise and fall rapidly, enticing him even more. He stepped forward and ran the backs of his fingers along your collarbone, his blue eyes burning bright and not leaving yours.  

The scene changed again and you were now laying naked in the bed, Chris nestled between your legs.  You could feel the warmth of his breath as you whispered your devotion to each other. You could feel the heat and hardness of his member as he entered you inch by inch, making love to you for the first time as husband and wife. 

 


	6. Ice Cream!!!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Chris shows his love of ice cream, you, and so does Dodger

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this was something I had drafted to take place during chapter 33, the Evans family July 4th party, but I was never able to fit the idea into the story line

During the Evans Fourth of July party, a group of you had decided to go into the front yard to play some lawn games with the kids.  The beers were still flowing, and Chris was getting quite goofy on a combination of alcohol and the delight he was taking from the company.  The children were giggling hysterically at how bad his aim was during a game of horseshoes. His inability to do the hula hoop well also had them rolling, especially when he exaggerated the failed effort.  

You had a feeling he was losing on purpose, but didn’t want to call him on it.  It was too much fun to watch.

A happy little tune filled the air, and you watched Chris’s head whip around to locate the source, or rather, the direction of the source.  

“ICE CREEEEAAAMMM!!” he cried out, perhaps a bit louder than he expected to, judging from the embarrassed laughter that followed.  

The kids swarmed him and a chorus of voices began begging for him to get them the sweet treat.  He didn’t really need to be coaxed. The music became louder as the ice cream truck moved onto LIsa’s block, a summertime Pied Piper.  Everyone who was in the front playing walked to the edge of the sidewalk in front of the house, waiting in eager anticipation.

The truck came closer and Chris waved it over.  He told everyone it was his treat and to get what they wanted.  The two of you got the kids into a line so they could place their orders, and you took the wishes of the youngest ones so you could help.  The children went first, some getting cones, others packaged ice cream sandwiches or character pops. You lifted Stella so she could order for herself, “like a big girl.”  Once all the little ones were finished, the adults placed their requests. You and Chris went to the back of the line after helping with the kids, and when it was your turn you ordered a cone with chocolate ice cream covered in chocolate sprinkles.  

Chris pulled out his wallet to pay for everyone’s ice cream after ordering his own, a cone with vanilla ice cream and rainbow sprinkles.  He thanked the driver by name and was thanked by name in return. 

You both started walking slowly back in the direction of the house, taking licks as the treat was already melting in the July heat.  

“Should I be worried that you’re on a first name basis with the ice cream man?  Guess you’re a regular, huh?” you teased with a smile. 

"What?  No, not really.  He had a name tag, didn’t you see it?”

“No. I didn’t notice.  You’re quite observant, aren’t ya?” you replied, then paused and questioned, “But he knew your name?”

Chris looked at you puzzled, took a lick of his ice cream, then shrugged, “Yeah, well, he probably recognized me.  I’ve seen him here a few times and people know I’m from the area.”

You were confused for a few more seconds before realization hit.  “Oh god! I’m such an idiot, sorry. It didn’t even occur to me, I totally forgot, you’re….. You!”

Chris stopped walking, watching you for a moment as you tried, and failed miserably, to keep up with the ice cream and it’s eagerness to keep away from your tongue.

“You forgot?!” he finally said, shaking his head as a wide smile took hold of his face.  “Nicole, do you have any idea how much I adore the fact that you forgot my fame?” 

Your heart was leaping as you watched his face, the softness and pride showing on it as he spoke.  He leaned in and gave you a quick kiss, then bent his head to lick the fresh trail of ice cream that had made a run for it down the back of your hand.  

Before you had a chance to register the moment, it was broken by Dodger.  He was a smart pooch and he knew when opportunity was knocking. From the corner of your eye you caught him as he jumped up and took a bite of his dad’s ice cream when it leaned his way.  The bite knocked the ice cream out of Chris’s hand and he quickly turned towards it, but it was too late to stop the chaos.

“Dodger!  You little thief!!” he chastised.  Immediately, the dog dropped down, knowing he had done something bad.  Chris couldn't’ stay mad at him, not with those big, apologetic eyes looking up at him.  He placed a hand on his hip and seemed to count to ten, then blew out a breath and said, “It’s ok, it’s just ice cream.”  He pointed to his fur baby and told him sternly, “It’s okay today, but don’t do that again.”

The truck was long gone, so you offered to share some of yours.  You knew you had it bad for the guy when you were willing to give up some chocolate ice cream.  


	7. Chapter 1: Boy Meets Girl (rewritten from Chris POV)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> As a way to celebrate my story turning 2 years old, I've rewritten the first chapter from Chris's POV

Today was the day. 

I was nervous as hell when I got up, my anxiety getting the best of me.  It was the day of the Omaze contest and I was finally going to meet the girl I’ve been reading about for the last couple of months.  I was also going to have to figure out a way to beat the escape room because there was no way we were losing today. 

I showered and shaved, then added some cologne. From my closet I grabbed a pair of jeans and a blue henley that always made me feel confident.  Look good, feel good. 

The winner, Nicole Frasier, was supposed to arrive at 1 pm, but the coordinator asked me to come in around 11:30 am for some interviews and promotional photos.  I stopped by my mom’s house to drop off Dodger for the day, and stayed for a quick chat over some coffee. She knew how much I was looking forward to today, for many reasons, and there was no one better at setting my mind at ease. I left her house with a smile and excitement building and drove the hour or so into the city of Boston. 

Once at Escape Games, I had a chance to speak with reps from Christopher’s Haven and Omaze.  We went over the figures and I was damn proud of the way my fans had come through for the charity.  The grand total was $477k. That could change a lot of lives and provide so much relief to the many families going through one of the most heartbreaking times of their lives.  

We spent some time signing paperwork and getting the promo work done. I was well acquainted with the people from the Haven, having worked with them privately to visit the kids and make donations on my own.  We spent the remaining time catching up on each other’s lives, projects and some of the patients that I had come to know. 

I received a tap on my shoulder and turned my attention to Amanda, the coordinator for the event.  

“Excuse me, Chris, sorry to interrupt.  The contest winner, Nicole Frasier, is here. I’ve brought her back to meet you and then we can get some photos of everyone for the Omaze and Haven sites.”

As she spoke, I scanned the room until I spotted her.  I already knew what she looked like, and a lot more about her, thanks to a file my people had put together when she won.  I had gotten a copy of the background check and information they had gathered on her and had found myself quite taken with her.  Smitten, really. Nicole was even more beautiful in person than she was in her photos. There was something about her that just radiated.  Even though I could tell she was nervous, mainly from the way she was fidgeting and tucking her hair behind her ear, she still managed to exude an air of confidence.  I was drawn to her immediately. 

I excused myself from the others and made my way towards her to introduce myself.  I took my time, soaking in as much detail about her that I could, as well as giving my heart time to stop racing.  Why was I so damn nervous all of a sudden? 

I was also reminding myself that she had no idea that a background check had been performed and no clue that I was at all familiar with her. I needed to make sure I didn’t let any of that slip or risk things becoming incredibly awkward. 

I didn’t quite know what to expect. Would she be dressed to impress? I’ve had meet and greets with female fans before where they’d come dressed up in outfits that were quite attention grabbing - usually for the wrong reasons.  

This girl, though, was a happy surprise.  She was coming to play an escape room game and have some burgers and beers after.  She came dressed perfectly for those situations, not like she was hoping to get me to notice her.  I respected that about her and liked her instantly for not trying too hard. I’ve always been the type of guy to prefer girls in sweatpants and ponytails over a woman with perfect hair and makeup and uncomfortable clothing.

Nicole was wearing a forest green t-shirt with gray accents for the collar and the sleeves. The shirt had a small v-neck cut, just enough to accent her figure without revealing a thing.  The top was loose fitting, accentuating her curves rather than clinging to them. She’d paired it with faded blue jeans and gray and black running sneakers. Her dark brown hair was long, loose and had natural waves and curls.  It was just a few steps shy of looking like “just fucked” hair, and it - combined with those blue eyes and that shy smile she was giving me - made her incredibly sexy. 

As I reached her she offered me a handshake which I accepted, before pulling her in for a big hug.  I couldn’t help myself, I’m practically a professional hugger, and for some reason it just felt natural to give her one, even though she was a complete stranger. 

I congratulated her and told her how excited I was to meet her and her guests, adding that we were going to have a “blast” before realizing what a dork that made me sound like.  Still, the way she was biting down on her bottom lip from nerves, and maybe to suppress her smile, was so adorable that I ended up grinning like a fool. 

She was a bundle of nerves, it was palpable.  Nicole looked everywhere but directly at me as she thanked me and said hello.  I asked if she was okay, hoping to help. Anxiety and I have been lifelong friends and I know what a needy bitch it can be. 

I had a feeling she was fangirling. I wasn’t too shocked by it, I’d felt the same way around some of my celebrity crushes when I’d met them too.  From the background check I knew that she was a fan of mine and of The Avengers. Typically people looked at me and said that they expected me to be bigger in person.  I thought maybe that was where this was going.

“I wasn’t prepared for...this,” she said, waving her hand to indicate my face.  Now I was puzzled and curious. I folded my arms and looked at her with mock seriousness, then asked, “You weren’t prepared for what, exactly?”

“For this! In my head I prepared myself to meet bearded Chris Evans.  I wasn’t prepared for Steve Rogers.”

Oh! Now that was different.  Usually people are thrown off by meeting me  _ not _ looking like Steve. Did she want me to look like Steve, or was she looking forward to meeting me in my preferred - because I’m too lazy to shave- bearded state?  It took me a moment to wrap my head around her dilemma, but then I figured out a way to set her mind at ease, and have some fun while I was at it. 

“I’m still Chris and, trust me, you will have a much better time with me than you would with Steve.”

She didn’t say a word, just raised a questioning brow at me and gave me a challenging smirk. 

Challenge accepted. 

I got myself into Steve Rogers mode, easy enough to do after playing the character for nearly a decade.  I straightened my spine, squared my shoulders and my jaw. I tucked away my sense of humor and took out my “father of a teenage daughter” mindset instead.  

I looked straight into her eyes and, as seriously as I could, said, “If you were doing this with Steve Rogers, he would be dead serious about the mission.  Focusing on every detail to make sure it was successful. He would be methodical and no fun a all.” 

I then allowed my body to relax and became my natural self again before explaining, “With Chris, the focus will be fun first.  I’m competitive, so I do want us to beat the room, but win or lose, it won’t matter as long as we have a great time.”

She broke out into a wide smile, full of delight.  It looked wonderful on her. I couldn’t help but light up inside knowing that I was the cause of it.  Joy looked good on her. 

“Alright, point taken.  Steve and Chris are completely different,” she said, before casually adding, “Plus, you don’t wear a size “smedium” like Steve.  Trust me, I’m not complaining, but seriously… who shops for that guy?”

She caught me completely off guard.  A minute ago she couldn’t make eye contact and now she was smart assing me?  I fuckin’ loved it. I know it sounds cliche, but to me a great sense of humor makes a girl so much more attractive than just her looks.  Her calling out my character on his wardrobe, while at the same time implying that she enjoyed the look, caused me to get a little shy myself. I could feel my cheeks warming up and a bit my lip as I tried to think of something cool or witty to say.  I was still trying to figure out a response when she saved me. 

“This is surreal.  I still can’t believe I’m here,” she mused.  I watched her for a moment, immensely enjoying being in her presence. 

Even though I knew the answer, I decided to ask her some questions, get to know her a little better.  “Where are you from? I can tell from your accent that it’s not Boston.”

Still being a wise ass, she giggled and replied back in a terrible Boston accent, “Nooo, not Bahston. I’m not too faaah away, though.  I’m from Long Island.”

I couldn’t resist the bait, knowing how much people from there were teased for their own accents.  I replied with my own stereotypical bad version of her area’s accent. “Oh! LonG Eyeland.”

“Hey!” she protested and then proceeded to elbow me in the stomach.  

I wasn’t expecting the physical reaction and jumped back, letting out a laugh.  I admitted, “I’m just teasing ya. I’ve been there a few times with friends. It’s beautiful.  The lighthouse, and some of the beaches. I’ve even been to a couple of the wineries, too.”

“Well, if you ever want a personal tour from a native,” she said, motioning to herself with her index finger, “I know a lot of great non-touristy spots where you won’t be bothered.  Plus, we got waaay better pizza and bagels. The cannolis from the pastry shops kickass-”

“Wait a second, just wait!” I said, thoroughly enjoying the flirty feeling in the air. We had chemistry, and from the fact that she was kinda opening up an invite to see her sometime after today, I could tell she felt it too.  “You actually think that New York has better pizza and cannolis than Boston?” I asked, baffled and incredulous.

She looked me straight in the eyes and stated, “Yeah.  I do actually!”

Fuck it, I was going with my gut here.  There was no way in hell that I was going to simply walk across the street for a burger with her after the game and then never see her again.  I needed a way to extend my time with her and inspiration suddenly hit me. 

I pointed a finger at her to emphasize my words and informed her, “That’s it.  We’re going out later for pizza and dessert. I’ll have you eating your words and begging for more before the night is through!”

As the words left my mouth I realized it was a bit of a double entendre.  Not on purpose by any means. For a split second I had hope that she hadn’t caught it, but at the same moment I realized how expressive her face was.  The girl couldn’t hide a damn thing on it, even as she was trying. Right now it was telling me that my choice of words had not slipped past and had made her think of something a little naughty, but she was trying to not let that on.  

Her cheeks were blushing as she tried to suppress her smiles and said, “Hmph, we’ll see.”  

Nicole turned away from me and scanned the crowd.  It was likely a distraction technique, a way to make sure she didn’t say anything else.  I wasn’t looking at anything but her. It was as if nothing else in the room existed but her at that moment. 

Possibly feeling the weight of my stare, she glanced at me out of the corner of her eye and found me looking at her with a smile.  When she looked back at me again, I told her with a hint of cocky arrogance, “Yeah, we’ll see, Feisty.” 

A huge grin came over her face and she barked out a laugh, then pushed her hair behind her ear again and did that cute little lip bite that was already my new favorite thing.  She was still smiling up at me, our eyes not leaving one another, when Amanda came over to advise that it was time for some photos.

The first set up was for the escape place itself.  I had taken some photos for Omaze and the Haven earlier, but not for the facility.  The first few were just of me with the owners and staff, then they asked Nicole to join us.  The photos were fun and playful, very interactive. I placed an arm around her for one shot and an odd feeling came over me.  Almost like one of those deja-vu moments. It just felt… right. Like she belonged there, somehow. 

It seemed that she felt the pull of it, too.  Her body instantly relaxed into mine, no hesitation, no weirdness.  She was wearing a scent that made me take a deep inhale, wanting to savor it.  It didn’t smell like perfume, maybe more like a lotion. Whatever it was, it smelled like home to me. Like comfort.  

We were set up to take some photos for the Omaze people next.  The photographer instructed us to to be silly, have fun with it.  They wanted some goofy and lighthearted pics for the website. Just before one of the shots, I decided to pinch her waist, giving her a little tickle.  She gave a little yelp and laugh, jumping and almost ruining the shot. I had no idea that she was that ticklish and would react so much. The look on her face, and the knowledge that I was the little shit at fault for it, was hilarious to me and I had to step away for a moment to laugh.  

After that, it became my personal mission to make her blush, make her laugh, just make her happy.  I felt like a kid, a little boy with a crush. Right before a photo was snapped I would say a word in her ear, sometimes it was complete gibberish, or test out what other areas could be ticklish with a small poke of my finger. 

The photos for Omaze were over and they were getting things set up for a photo session of representatives from Christopher’s Haven with myself and Nicole. Casually, she said, “You know, every time I saw the tagline, ‘Escape With Chris Evans’, I would immediately hear the song, ‘Escape’.  You know it right?” 

She did a little hip shimmy dance and sang, “ _ If you like Pina Coladas, and gettin’ caught in the rain _ .”

She turned away from me when she finished singing, a mischievous and evil grin on her face.  I didn’t know what she was thinking, or planning, but it became evident rather quickly when I suddenly found myself humming the tune. 

“Aw, c’mon dude!”  I said, plaintively.  She’d planted the song in my head like some sort of witchcraft.   The girl was lethal.

Before I could exact revenge, a family that was currently staying at the Haven came into the room and my heart melted.  We talked for a bit and I had the honor of meeting the little boy. He was so brave, and so much older and wiser than his years because of the obstacles he had to face every day.  I hugged his parents and welcomed them, then I knelt down to get eye level with the warrior and told him how proud everyone was of him, including myself. How he was the true superhero in the room.  

Nicole stood beside me.  When I stood back up I looked at her to find tears streaming down her cheeks.  She gave me a warm smile and I returned it, our eyes soft and full of compassion for the kid.

The photographer called our names and broke us out of the moment.  They asked for me to take some photos alone with the Haven people and the family, then had Nicole join us.  

When the picture taking was over, George from the Haven asked to speak with Nicole and I said my goodbyes to the family.  I rejoined her just as he was thanking her for choosing to pay her own way to Boston and asking that the money allocated to the airfare be donated.  

Nicole hadn’t realized I was standing behind her, eavesdropping on the conversation.  When she turned she asked, “What?” as she squirmed shyly and cast her gaze at her feet, her finger picking at her cuticle. 

I said nothing.  I couldn’t. I knew a lot about her from the files, but her working out that additional donation to the charity was not something I was advised of.  It spoke volumes to me about her character. 

It also proved to me that the feelings I’d been growing for her these last couple of months weren’t so crazy after all.  The more of her files that I read, the more intrigued with her I had become. I had access to her social media accounts and the contents I’d found there cemented my interest.  Nicole was the kind of girl that I had always hoped to meet, but never seemed to come across. But sometimes the more you search, the less you find. When you allow the Universe to take control, it brings you what you seek. 

Perhaps my thoughts were displaying on my face because she said, “You look like the cat that ate the canary.  Why are you smiling at me like that?” Her face turned beat red and she shook her head, as if trying to clear it.

I said to her, quietly, “I didn’t know about the plane tickets.  That was really thoughtful of you. Makes me even happier that you won.  You deserve it, Nicole.”

Her cheeks were practically on fire after the compliment, and the air between us seemed charged.  Electric. I was about to say something clever to her, or try to anyway, when Amanda returned and cut off my train of thought.  That woman’s timing was impeccable.

She told us that the photos came out great and that she was going to go gather Nicole’s family and bring them to us so we could start the game. 

“The kids are going to be so excited to meet you!” Nicole said.  

I felt my stomach drop.  As far as I knew, she had never been married and had no children, but I wasn’t one hundred percent sure about that, so I asked, “The kids, are they yours?”  On instinct, I looked at her ring finger. Perhaps something had changed recently. Children by marriage?

“No!” she said quickly, waving her hands dismissively, “No, they’re my brother’s kids. I love kids, but,” she said, pausing and giving a resigned sigh as she looked away, “Still single.”  

I let out a breath I hadn’t realized I was holding, suddenly relieved.  The way she said it was a statement. It didn’t feel like some ploy to get my interest.  This much I could tell and sense. She wasn’t trying to play me.

“What made you bring them instead of friends?” I asked, suddenly rather curious.  After all, she could have brought any three people that she wanted to.

“Well, they’re fans, but I couldn’t imagine anyone else appreciating this experience as much as they would.  It’ll be a memory that lasts forever. They’re my world,” she said, beaming with pride as she thought about them.  “It also makes me the coolest Aunt ever!” she added, pulling her arm back with a triumphant, “Yes!”

I couldn’t help but laugh at the goofy way that she did that, and also couldn’t help but feel complete respect and approval for her reasons and her choices.  I loved my nephews and niece beyond words. 

“I understand completely, trust me,” I told her, feeling an even stronger connection to her now. 

“You’re doing it again,’ she said, pointing at my face.

“Doing what?” I asked, cocking my head to the side, wondering what she was talking about.

“That smiling thing!”  she said, waving her index finger and motioning towards my face.  Out of nowhere she looked away and tossed her hands up in the air, crying out, “You’re killing me, Smalls!”

I lost my shit. She had such a fantastic sense of humor, I could imagine myself spending hours just talking with her. God, I could truly fall for this girl if given the chance. 

I was just starting to get my laughter under control when she added, as she looked around towards the entrance to the room, “I hope the kids don’t geek out on you too much.  Although, you of all people understand how it feels to fanboy. I’ve seen videos of you with Tom Brady.”

She’d what?  I what!? I pretended to be insulted, balling my hands into fists.  I shut my eyes, tightly, and said very slowly, “I. Do. Not. Fanboy. Over. Tom. Brady.”

Nicole guffawed, totally calling me out on my claim.  She got sassy and wagged her neck and finger and informed me, “ I have YouTube my dear, there are videos of you all over it in the locker room mooning over the guy.  I can only imagine your reaction the first time you met him.”

I relaxed my shoulders, shaking my head as I muttered, “Unreal.” Fuck was she perfect. I love a girl who can bust my balls. 

The next thing I knew, her hand was cradling my cheek and she was looking into my eyes with a mixture of compassion and humor, her thumb lightly brushing over my cheekbone.  Her motions were so soft, her hand so warm. My body was practically vibrating from her touch, the moment felt so intimate. Then she pulled out the sass again as she whispered “It’s okay Chris, we all have our crushes.”

I had a feeling that the comment was both a way of letting me know she was crushing on me, and also a total nail in the coffin about the way I, admittedly, worship Tom.  I couldn’t hold back my smile, it blasted at her from my lips and my eyes. Besides, I was kind of crushing on her, too. 

“Oh, for Christ’s sake!” she groaned, throwing her hands up in the air with a small laugh.  My skin already missed the contact of her fingertips “You better watch out or your face may freeze like that, buddy!”

I simply shrugged my shoulders and gave a little wave of my hands near my chest.  With a self satisfied smirk, I gave her the full naughty brow raise and put on the charm.  I loved watching her fight the enjoyment of it. 

The footsteps of her family approaching caught our attention and she turned to face the entryway.  I decided to take my last moment alone with her and make it worthwhile. It could be the last chance I’d get before we’d be surrounded by her family for the rest of the day.  

Placing my arm around her shoulder, I tucked her in close to my body and lowered my head so that I was close to her ear.  When she tilted up towards me, I whispered, “You better get used to my smile, sweetheart. I get the feeling I’ll be doing a lot of it today.”

I felt a quick shudder race through her body, and the skin on her arm burned with fire.  I couldn’t help but find the room suddenly much warmer myself. I couldn’t wait to see how the rest of the day would turn out.  


	8. Thrift Shop: Scott Evans and Nicole

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> takes place during the Evans family 7/4/17 party, chapts 33/34. This was an idea that I had but was never able to incorporate into the original story

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> inspired by the song "Thrift Shop" by Macklemore & Ryan Lewis

You had excused yourself from the party to go inside the house to use the bathroom.  Afterwards, you were walking down the hall and about to exit through the living room when you heard music coming from the kitchen.  It was a different song than the one you could hear playing in the yard. 

Curious, you followed the sound of the funky horns that you recognized as the intro to the ridiculously catchy song, “Thrift Shop” by Macklemore & Ryan Lewis.  

You stayed just outside of the entry and peeked in to find Scott  standing with a couple of younger guys you recognized from outside.  If you remembered correctly, they were cousins and appeared to be in their early twenties.  

Scott was where he loved to be, in the spotlight.  One of the boys was playing the song on his phone, while the other was recording the performance.  Chris’s brother stood with his back towards, moving his body in time to the rhythm and doing a funny little dance.   

You had to cover your mouth to stifle the delighted giggle that threatened to give your position away.  

The guy with the lighter colored hair noticed you as you crept closer towards the kitchen as Scott performed.  You held a finger up to your lips, silently asking him to not give away your position.

Scott was so in the zone that he hadn’t realized you were nearby.  He got towards the end of the first verse and started singing the line, “ _ Probably should’ve washed this, smells like R. Kelly’s sheets _ .” Finding your chance to sneak in behind Scott, you popped up behind him and joined the performance, adding in the “ _ Pissssssss _ .” 

Scott jumped in surprise and then grinned at you.  No stranger to improv, he was able to roll right with it.  He placed an arm around your shoulder and replied with the next line, “ _ But shit, it was 99 cents _ !”

You stayed at his side, each of you challenging the other to come up with hokey, old school moves as you bopped around danced to the melody  You helped with some of the singing, like pointing down to Scott’s feet and saying, “ _ Aww, he got the velcros, _ ” as well as taking over during the chorus.  He was so engaging and fun to work with that it was easy to forget there was a camera filming you.

When the song was over, the younger Evans brother took your hand and guided you into an exaggerated bow towards the clapping cousins. You said goodbye to them, and got ready to

rejoin the family outside, but not before you hugged Scott and thanked him for the fun time.  You gave him a kiss on the cheek and playfully warned him that the video better not end up on his Instagram. 

“Don’t you worry, of course it won’t be posted there Nicole,”  he said sweetly with a slight smirk.

“Thank you, Scott.”

“It’s far too long, and far too good.  This shit is going right onto YouTube!” he called out as you passed through the doorway.   
  


“Scott!!” you exclaimed, spinning on your heel and hustling back to the kitchen to make sure the riotous laughter in there was because he was pulling your leg and not because they were actually posting the video.

  
  
  
  



	9. Wistful Thinking

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> During chapter 31, Nicole tells Chris that she went strawberry picking with her family. This is the story of that trip and the surprising secret that Maddie confides to Nic.

The weekend after Maddie’s birthday party, you joined your mom, sister-in-law and the kids for an afternoon of strawberry picking at a nearby farm. 

You had driven alone and met them there.  During the ride, you had time to think about the previous weekend and the time you’d gotten to spend with Chris. 

You had not expected things to go the way they had.  

Your initial game plan was for him to come to your niece’s party, then spend the evening and the next day just getting to know each other.  Of course, you’d hoped for some kissing - maybe even a little more - but that was as far as you’d expected things to go. 

The plans for last Sunday - in your head, at least - were to take him for a drive out on the east end of Long Island.  A visit to the lavender fields, some strawberry picking, perhaps a stop at the chocolatier or to feed the rescue horses across the road from the strawberry field. Maybe even a romantic stroll on the beach. But Mother Nature decided to bring a storm on Sunday instead of sunshine, forcing those plans out of the window.

Even if the weather had complied, there were those the fireworks to contend with.  The ones that began exploding inside of you once you were in his vicinity again. You hadn’t counted on those.  Not at all. In hindsight, the moment your lips touched inside your car it was game over for any hope of an innocent weekend.  

You had waited a long time to be with a man again because making love made you vulnerable.  Casual sex was not your thing. You needed to feel trust, comfort and, most of all, an all consuming passion that couldn’t be denied.  That was what you were waiting for. 

With Chris, that was exactly what you found.  He would never pressure you, or expect anything more than you were willing to give. He respected you and your choices, knew your history and why you had made the personal choice to abstain for so long.  Your mind changed for many reasons last weekend, but most of all because he made you feel safe. 

Being with Chris also reminded you that you were a woman full of fire and needs.  You’d been letting those flames simmer for years, but last weekend you’d let them consume you and you’d never felt more alive in your entire life. 

Daydreaming about Chris nearly caused you to pass right by the u-pick strawberry farm. You pulled up to the field and found yourself instantly tackle hugged by Alex and Maddie as you exited your car.  You kissed everyone hello, and then the five of you retrieved green, cardboard containers from a booth at the entry and began to walk the large, lush fields.

The kids were moving quickly through the rows of strawberry bushes.  Maddie was squealing and darting out of the way every time she encountered a bumble bee, which was quite often.  Alex was “testing” as many strawberries as he was picking. His red smeared face was showing the evidence of his actions, even as he tried to deny it. 

Your mom and Sarah decided to stick close to him and keep a watchful eye.  You wandered off with Maddie to a spot a little farther into the fields to find some of the larger fruit. 

Along the way, you explained to her that the bees would not bother her, so long as she didn’t bother them, and how special they were to the earth.  She was still hesitant to be too close, but she at least admitted that they were more friend than foe. It didn’t hurt that they were awfully cute and fuzzy.  The more she trusted them, the more comfortable she became and eventually she stopped panicking when they’d move around close to her. 

It was still early in the morning, but the temperature was rising quickly.  Even with sunscreen you could feel the sun burning parts of your shoulders and the back of your neck.  Wearing a tank top was probably not the brightest idea you’d ever had. Sweat was trickling down both of your faces.  Out of your crossbody purse, you pulled a sports bottle of water and shared it with her, then used the squirt bottle top to rinse off a few of the strawberries to taste test.

The cicadas were calling and answering each other, a sure sign that summer was here and the heat was on.  Small white butterflies, and some black, orange and white monarchs, fluttered around you and your niece. Their delicate wings were a work of art. 

While picking, Maddie suddenly asked you, “Aunt Nic, when is Chris coming back?”

You had to stop to think about it for a moment.  You knew you were going to his house in a few weeks but, come to think of it, there hadn’t been any discussions regarding coming back here.  “You know what, sweetie, I really don’t know. But, I’m sure he’ll be back soon.”

She simply nodded, and continued pulling the juicy, red berries from the bushes, choosing only the most perfect ones.  You were surprised when out of nowhere she stated factually, “I’m going to marry him someday.”

“You are?” you asked, trying to keep the amusement out of your voice since you could tell she was being dead serious.  

With complete confidence and sincerity, she nodded.  “Mmm hmm. I just know it.”

“How do you know?” you asked, genuinely curious as to inner workings of an eight year old girl’s mind. 

“Because he came all the way out here just for my birthday party.  A boy doesn’t go through all that trouble unless he wants to marry you someday.”

You were crouched down beside her and had to hide your smile behind your hand, looking down so she wouldn’t see your eyes. She glanced your way and you immediately pretended to be interested in a berry so she wouldn’t think you were making fun of her. 

Maddie was so adorable and pure.  And, hopefully, onto something. What if she could see things as a child more clearly than you could as an adult?  Things were so much more black and white when you were little, versus the shades of gray of adulthood. 

If she noticed your reaction, she was undeterred by it.  Raising her little chin, she stated matter of factly, “You can be my maid of honor, if you want.  Especially since you’re the reason we met.”

You played along.  “I can?! Aww, Maddie, it would be my honor,” you said, rocking into her a bit and nudging her body with the side of your arm.

She gave a huge, comedic eyeroll and feigned exasperation.  “That’s why it’s called being ‘Maid of HONOR,’ duh,” she teased.

Playing along, you replied with sarcastic wonder, “Wow! Now that you mention it, that probably IS why they call it that! I never thought about it like that before.”

"Grownups,” your niece moaned, shaking her head in a “Can’t live with them, can’t live without them,” fashion.  You briefly caught each other’s eyes and both broke into giggles.

“So, um, future Mrs. Madison Elaine Evans, when’s the wedding?  I’ve gotta make sure I’m available.”

With complete focus on the basket of fruit she’d just filled, she answered seriously, “Oh, I don’t know.  It will be a while though. I’m too young to be tied down.”

That did it.  You couldn’t hold back your amusement anymore and ended up dropping down onto your knees in the dirt, smiling broadly at her as you cleared your throat to contain your laughter.  You didn’t want to burst her bubble, or make her feel bad about her wistful thinking. It wasn’t like you hadn’t indulged in it yourself. 

You reached out and took her chin in your fingertips, tilting her face up so you could plant a kiss upon her tiny nose.  As you looked into each other’s eyes, you said, “God I love you so much. Don’t ever grow up. And don’t ever change.” 

She had big dreams, and you hoped she achieved them all.  Well, almost all. If anyone here was going to marry Chris Evans it was going to be you. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Inspo song for this story is "No One Needs To Know Right Now" by Shania Twain


	10. First Impressions

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> this would take place during/after the events of chapter 36. Chris POV as he learns what his family thinks after meeting Nicole

The morning of July 6, Chris sent Nicole a text wishing her a great day, and letting her know how much he missed waking up to her that morning.   It had been tough to say goodbye last night. He had come so close to telling her how he was falling in love with her, but he'd chickened out. The timing wasn’t right.  When he finally told her, it wasn’t going to be right before she left. He wanted to make it special, spend time with her after. Next weekend in New York City would be the perfect time.  

Decision made, Chris loaded Dodger up into the car and went over to his mom’s house to join his family for breakfast.  

Entering through the kitchen door - Dodger leading the way, or course - he found his family around the table eating bagels.  Chris went around greeting everyone and giving them each a kiss, ending with his brother who got an extra long and wet smooch on the cheek.  Scott comedically wiped his face, then playfully tried to slap Chris’s hand away from the brown paper sack containing the bagels. 

“What!? I’m a growing boy!” Chris said dodging his hand around Scott’s until he triumphantly pulled one out.  His mom placed a mug full of coffee in front of him, always taking care of her boy. Miles, his nephew, made sure he took care of Dodger by breaking off small pieces of his bagel and feeding it to the dog beneath the table. 

Everyone was happily chatting away about all different topics, except the one Chris had expected them to bring up once he arrived: Nicole.  He’d actually braced himself for it, figuring that he would be bombarded with questions and comments as soon as he walked in the door, but so far nothing.  It was worrisome. Maybe they didn’t like her? Or she just hadn’t made the impression on them that she had on him? That could be a problem. He didn’t say much, didn’t join in their conversations.  Instead, he ate his food and drank some coffee, just waiting and watching.

Finally, he couldn’t take it anymore.  Nicole had spent nearly two days with them here.  She was the first girl he had brought home in a very long time.  Surely  _ someone _ had an opinion about her!

“So?” he said, in a loud, questioning voice as he raised his brows and looked around at his mom and siblings.  

They looked at him with wide eyes, then looked around at each other making funny faces as if he was going weird on them.

Carly broke the silence, asking, “‘So’ what, Chris? What’s on your mind?”  

"Cahmon, guys, you know what I’m talking about.  What do you all think of Nicole?”

His family remained silent for a moment, then Lisa let out a large sigh and said, “Well, it’s unanimous.”

“Yep, we all hate her,” Scott quickly added.  Chris did a double take, expecting a punchline or something, but his brother looked and sounded quite serious. 

Taken aback, Chris looked from one sibling to the next, trying to find the joke, the humor, in what his little brother just said.  Incredulously, he smacked the table top and exclaimed, “You’re kidding, right? Come on, what do you guys really think of her?”

“What he said,” Carly confirmed, shrugging as she her hand waved towards Scott. “Sorry, but she’s a real bitch, Chris. Don’t let her fool you.”

Shanna chimed in, “Seriously, she has zero sense of humor.”

Suddenly, they were all putting in their two cents and Chris felt like he was watching a tennis match as the comments came at him from one side of the table to the other.  

“The personality of a wet mop,” Lisa confirmed.

Chris noticed his niece, Stella, looking as confused as he felt.  “I really like-” 

Her mom, Carly, interrupted and said, “The vegetable cream cheese, right?  Here, have another bite,” quickly, feeding her a small bite. Carly licked some of the soft cheese off of her finger and then added, “She’s as cold as this stuff.”

“Not to mention highly unattractive,” Scott sassed. 

“Her aim is too good, she shot me in the ass!” Ethan whined, quickly corrected by Carly to watch his language before she added, “Really though, she’s terrible with kids.”

Now Chris was beginning to feel his blood boil.  He was hoping this was all a joke, but they were all keeping straight faces and seemed way to passionate for this to not be real.  Everything they were saying was the total opposite of how he felt. How the fuck could that be?

“She’d be a horrible dog mom, too.”

He pointed to Scott, who’d made the last comment and warned him, “Don’t.  Just don’t. She stayed up and took care of him when he got sick the other night.  She’s an amazing dog mom.”

“I just don’t know what you see in her,” Lisa said sadly. 

Chris had had enough and put his hands up in the air to silence them all.  Probably a little louder than he should have, he said, “Seriously, guys? Please tell me you just pulling my leg right now, because if you’re not -”

Lisa, who was sitting to his right, placed a hand on his arm to relax her eldest son and told him with a laugh and a warm smile, “We loved her.  We ALL loved her.”

“You boys aren’t the only actors in the family, you know,” Shanna teased, proud that they had properly gotten a rise out of Chris.

He felt his blood pressure drop instantly, it almost made him dizzy.   The relief was palpable and he couldn’t help but smile.

Carly, fixing her daughter’s ponytail,  confessed, “Stella was asking when she’d see her again.  She’s completely enamored.”

“She’s a cool girl, and you’re good together.  I haven’t seen you this happy and in love in a really long time.  I’m happy for you, brother,” added Scott. 

Chris blew out a long breath and sighed.  “It was harder than I imagined. Every time we say goodbye its tough and it’s just going to get worse. But she’s worth it.”

Lisa looked at her son, contemplatively, and asked, “Think she’d ever move here, if things get serious?”

“I don’t know, Ma.  When the time comes we’ll have the talk about it.  I get the feeling it won’t be an easy sell. But we’re not there yet.”

“How serious are you guys?  Did you say the ‘L’ word today?” his sister Carly asked with wide, hopeful eyes, nudging him with her foot under the table.  

“No. I chickened out.  There never seemed to be a right time, and she was leaving today.  I will soon though, probably the next time I see her.” He smiled to himself and said, wistfully, “After spending these last couple of days with her and seeing how well she blended in with everyone, I know for sure that I love her.”

A resounding “Awww” sound came from everyone around the table.  

“You deserve all the happiness in the world, my baby,” Lisa said, standing up and stopping to give him a kiss on the forehead before she started to clean up the table. 

Dodger came around and placed his head on Chris’s lap, giving him big, pleading eyes in the hopes of more food.

“Maybe just some bread, but no cream cheese.  Not after the cheese farts you had the other night.  No. Way.”

 

 


	11. Turn On Your Heartlight

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> An alternate scene from Escape With Chris Evans. This was the original idea I had for Nicole’s return to the hotel room after her date with Chris on her birthday in Chapter 9

After one last kiss, you said goodnight to Chris for the final time and slipped into the darkened hotel room.  Softly, to avoid waking anyone up, you closed the door and then leaned against it, letting your mind process everything that had happened over the last several hours.

The dark didn’t last long.  

The living room before you was suddenly lit up by the glow of the table lamp beside Ryan.  He was sitting on the sofa that faced the door, feet up on the coffee table, one hand still on the lamp switch. His head was cocked to the side and his face was serious as he said, “Finally decided to come home, Nic?”

You sighed and let your head drop back to the door.  “Are you serious right now, Ryan?”

“Do you have any idea how late it is?” he chastised, sounding way too much like your father.  His eyebrows were knitted together with worry. 

“Yes, dad, I do,” you answered back with a little snark in your voice.

He caught the tone and changed his own, dropping his arm down onto the arm of the sofa. “Sorry, it’s just… I was worried, y’know?”

You pushed your body off the door and made your way towards him, dropping your purse onto the small kitchen table along the way.  He patted the sofa beside him and you took the spot, sitting sideways to face him. 

“I know, Ry, but I answered your text before and I told you everything was fine.”

“That was hours ago.”

“Yeah, well, I got kind of busy after that,” you said, pausing to look down and play with the hem of your dress, ”and I lost track of the time.”

He grimaced and put his hands out to stop you, eyes closed as he tried to block a mental image.

You slapped his bicep, “Not that kind of busy! Get your mind out of the gutter.”

“Oh thank God!” he said, bringing a hand to his chest and letting out a light laugh.  “I mean, you’re a grown woman and all, but I was hoping that wasn’t why you were out so late with  _ him _ .”

The way he said the “him” made you raise a brow. “What are you not saying? I hear that tone in your voice.”

“Nothing, it’s just, he’s a nice guy and all, but he’s an actor.  I don’t want you getting all swept up by his fame and shit. A guy like that isn’t used to hearing the word “no” and is probably used to getting whatever he wants out of women.”

“He’s not like that,” you said a little defensively.  

Your brother rolled his eyes and stated flatly, “He’s a man.  He has a penis. He’s into you. Trust me, he was thinking about it.”

“Trust me, women think about it to.” You delighted in the grossed out face he made, not wanting to think about his baby sister knowing about sex.  You would be a virgin in his eyes, even after you had babies of your own. “Chris was a gentleman. Respectful. He’s surprisingly normal for an ‘actor’.”  

The mood shifted and Ryan was no longer your parent, but reverted back to being your brother.  Your friend. 

He gave you loving smile and asked, “Did you have a good time tonight?”

There was no stopping the blush that took over your face and chest.  

“It was amazing.  Truly one of the most memorable nights of my life,” you said, practically swooning.

Ryan chuckled at you, smiling to match your own. “What did you guys do?”

“Well, first, he took me to the to Prudential Center and we watched the sun set from the observatory level at the top of the building. Then we went to an Italian restaurant for delicious steak and dancing.”

Sounding surprised and impressed, he asked, “Dancing?”

“Yes! Can you believe it? They had an outdoor patio for it.  It was so romantic,” you told him wistfully.

“Dinner must have been hours ago, though.  Where did you go after?”

“To a park along the water.”

He sat up straight and turned his upper body towards you.  An air of protectiveness surrounded him once again. “You’ve been at a park for all this time? At night?”

“Yes, Ry, it was fine-”

“Not the safest idea though.  This is Boston, you could’ve been mugged! Or worse yet, he could’ve-”

You cut him off there.  His hand was flying all around as he got himself worked up, and you placed your own on top of his, lowering them to the sofa as you interrupted his tirade.  “I’m ok, it was perfectly safe. He wouldn’t let anything happen to me and he wouldn’t do anything wrong to me. There were lights, he’s strong and knows how to defend us.  And, most importantly, I know how to defend myself now, thanks to you and dad. I’m okay, Ryan.”

“Balls, throat, eyes and knees,” he confirmed with a nod.

“Yes, I know how to reach and debilitate a man from all of those spots.  But you know if my gut was telling me to be worried then I never would have gone out with him. Period.  Let alone to a secluded spot like that.”

“I know.  I trust you, I trust you instincts.  It’s everyone else with you that I don’t trust.”

You let out a light laugh and ran a hand through your hair, then rested your elbow on the back of the sofa.  Pinching the bridge of your nose, you sighed, “And you’re the easy brother.”

“Damn straight.  If Erik was on this trip you could kiss a date with Captain Perfection out the window.”

Now you played into it, giving a dramatic sigh and clutching your heart.  “He really is Captain Perfection, isn’t he?”

Ryan teased you with a disgusted moan, then paused and cocked his head to the side as if thinking.  He pursed his lips together for a moment, then nodded his head and said, “Yeah, I guess he kinda is.” He shrugged and added pensively, “I’d do him.”

“RYAN!!” you exclaimed with a laugh, looking around to make sure you hadn’t woken the children.  You both dropped back onto the sofa in quiet hysterics. 

Your big brother held out his arm and you took the invitation, tucking into his side and resting your head on his shoulder.  He kissed the top of your head and squeezed your shoulder. 

“I love you, kiddo.  You know it’s my job to be a dick about things sometimes.”

“I love you, too.  You know it’s my job to give you reasons to be one.”

You sat together in silence for a minute or so, then he asked, “You really like this guy, huh?

“I do. He’s different from anyone else I’ve ever met.  And it’s got nothing to do with who he is, it’s just a feeling I get when I’m around him.  The chemistry is unreal.” Your heart was racing as you thought about Chris. It was one of those nights in life that you wish never had to end.

“Think you’ll see him again?”

In a shy voice you admitted, “He wants to get together before we leave to say goodbye to everyone.”  You couldn’t stop the happiness from spreading across your face at the thought of seeing him again in just a few hours.  

“And after?”

“I think I will,” you said, feeling confident in that statement.  Something told you that this was far from over.

“Just be careful, I’d hate to see you get let down.  If he breaks your heart, it’s not going to be easy to break his face.”

“Because he’s far away, or because he’s famous?” you asked.

“Nah, because he’s so damn pretty,” he joked, setting you off into a fit of giggles again.

“It’s getting late.  We have a long ride tomorrow with plenty of time to get the real story out of you.” 

“Hey!” you said, turning on him incredulously.

“I’m kidding, I’m kidding!” he said, throwing his palms up and laughing.

You stood up and he followed suit, giving you a quick hug and saying goodnight.  He held you at arms length for a moment and his eyes grew wide as he looked at you.

“Wait a second! Is that a hickey?”

You clasped a hand over the area he was looking at and quickly turned and bolted off, calling out “Goodnight, Ryan!” over your shoulder.


End file.
